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Scotland Reflective Journal Cheryl Bemiss

Dr. Smith, LI860XI June 30, 2013 1

University of Glasgow

Scotland? Me? (Friday, March 8 – Sunday, May 19)

On March 8, 2013, I received an email from my academic advisor, Perri Parise, regarding

a ten day study abroad trip to Scotland. I knew of Emporia State University’s study abroad

program, but thought, I don’t have that kind of money. Trips like these aren’t for students like

me. I’m almost forty years old! I just obtained my first professional position as a reference

librarian – what could I possibly have to contribute? Thankfully, I didn’t let my initial fears and

lack of confidence deter me from applying to the program. I consulted with Christy Davis, one of

my classmates, who assured me that the trip was actually affordable, with all of the grants we

would potentially receive. As I began to fill out the paperwork and write my application essay, I

realized that I was a great candidate for the trip. I’m extroverted, curious, adapt well to change,

and I embrace and appreciate diversity. This trip would broaden my horizons, augment my



resume, and allow me to network with other professionals that have similar interests. By the time

I completed all of the requisite paperwork and received my acceptance letter, I knew that I’d

made an excellent decision. Now, what to pack?

Pre-departure (Monday, May 20 – Wednesday, May 22)

Well, all of the I’s are dotted and T’s crossed. Over the past few weeks, I’ve purchased

travel insurance, the appropriate professional garb, and an adapter for my laptop, among other

sundries. I’ve spent hours on travel, weather, and library websites and exchanged countless

emails with classmates. Flights have been checked and re-checked. My fellow Oregonians,

Christy Davis, Kathleen Feduccia, Courtney Remington, and I have decided to fly in together a

day early in order to orient ourselves prior to meeting the rest of the group. Courtney and I have

decided to room together. She’s very introverted, but has assured me that she enjoys being

around others like me who are more vocal. We will arrive on Friday, May 24th

, and be met at the

airport by our professor, Dr. Andrew Smith. I’m nervous, excited, and unsure of what to expect.

I’ve purposefully decided not to have too many preconceived notions. I have a tendency to

worry, so I’m forced to remind myself that there’s a big difference between preparation and

neurosis. At my current level of excitement, it’s doubtful I’ll be able to sleep tonight, though.

In the Air (Thursday, May 23 – Friday, May 24)

The past few days have been a whirlwind. My husband dropped me at the airport on

Thursday morning and we had a rather embarrassing and unexpectedly tearful send-off. I met

with Kathleen and Courtney in the boarding area and discovered that Christy’s flight from

Klamath Falls had been canceled. She wasn’t able to fly with us, but assured us that she would

be just a few hours behind. Portland to Seattle, Seattle to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Glasgow – I

enjoyed all of the flights, even the food (I know, I’m odd). We arrived on time Friday afternoon



in good spirits and were promptly met by Dr. Smith, who spent some time on the bus ride to the

hotel telling us about the local architecture. Glasgow’s architecture is a distinct blend of new and

old; the tops of buildings remain historically intact, while the bottoms are given carte blanche to

modernize, creating a stunning dichotomy.

We arrived at the hotel and proceeded to our rooms to unpack and unwind. The Holiday

Inn Express Theatreland in downtown Glasgow is a real gem, with free breakfast, a great

location, and a friendly staff. There’s an area in the lobby to relax and make plans, whilst having

a pint. Yes, I used whilst (love it). After a few hours of acclimation, Dr. Smith took us to The

Lauder’s, a pub where I had a delicious dinner of fish and chips. Interestingly, as in most pubs in

Glasgow, you order and pay at the bar and provide your table number, then someone brings the

food. We had the chance to get to know Dr. Smith and learn more about where we’d be going

during the week. We also discovered that we’d have the luxury of sightseeing on Saturday,

Sunday, and Monday. We decided to take the bus to Edinburgh in the morning, for a full day of

adventure.

Edinburgh Castle



Edinburgh (Saturday, May 25)

After a vegetarian’s dream breakfast of beans, cheese, and eggs at the hotel, Christy,

Kathleen, Courtney and I hopped on a city bus for the less than hour’s drive to Edinburgh,

Scotland’s capital city. We had bought our tickets online for admission to Edinburgh Castle and

were glad we did when we saw the huge queue out front. We first opted for a guided tour of the

iconic and ancient stronghold. Highlights of our visit included the Great Hall, completed in 1511

for James IV, and the Crown, Sceptre, and Sword of State, the oldest crown jewels in the British

Isles. Following lunch, we toured the city on foot, stopping to listen to bagpipers and to pop into

the John Murray Archive.

During this day trip, it became apparent that Scots are friendly folk who don’t hesitate to

help tourists with directions or restaurant recommendations. As a cynical American, I was

initially suspicious, but gradually became appreciative of this friendliness throughout the course

of my time in Scotland. We made it back to Glasgow in plenty of time for a welcome dinner at

Pesto, a fabulous Italian tapas restaurant. I met my fellow travelers and ate arancini (fried rice

balls) for the first time. As the saying goes, when in Glasgow…try new Italian food?

Tomorrow’s plan is to hop on a double decker bus tour and explore the city.

Inside the Kelvingrove Museum



Buses, Botanicals, and Busts (Sunday, May 26 – Monday, May 27)

The Oregon gang decided to purchase a two day pass for the city sightseeing double

decker bus tour, allowing us to canvas a large area for a small fee. Another boon was the

narration by our tour guide, Campbell, an elderly gentleman who doled out historical facts

alongside amusing anecdotes. One example: “You know, Glasgow is in possession of the oldest

football, dating from 1540. It’s a shame our team hasn’t learned how to use it yet.” Following a

comprehensive tour of the city, we disembarked at the Glasgow Botanical Gardens and spent

much of the day enjoying the sun and scenery. Later, we hopped back on the bus to Glasgow

Cathedral (AKA St. Mungo’s) and were fortunate enough to listen to a 4 pm Sunday service

featuring a choir and organist. Our day of touring ended with a trip to the Necropolis, a large

cemetery with a stunning view of the city.

Monday’s agenda incorporated a trip to the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum,

considered the most popular free attraction in Scotland. All museums are free to the public in

Glasgow, a testament to their attitude of accessibility regarding cultural institutions. Fortunately,

museums and libraries in Scotland are managed under the same system. I could have spent two

weeks looking at the 8000+ objects, including collections of natural history, arms and armor, and

paintings by the Old Masters, French Impressionists, Dutch Renaissance, Scottish Colourists, etc.

The Kelvingrove is one of the finest museums I’ve ever visited – and I’ve been to the Louvre.

We wrapped up the day with a charming afternoon tea at the famed Willow Tea Room on

Buchanan Street. Tomorrow, we begin our library visits with a trip to St. Andrews University.



St. Andrews University Library Help Desk

St. Andrews University (Tuesday, May 28)

Fife, Scotland, a pleasant two hour drive from Glasgow, is the home of St. Andrews

University, Scotland’s first university, founded in 1413. Prior to our visit, Dr. Smith explained

that university libraries in Scotland are considerably different than those in the states. Almost no

course uses a single textbook; students are given a reading list, which could be 600 or so items.

Students aren’t expected to read all of the items and not all will read the same books. Now I

understand why when I’m working the reference desk at Oregon State University, I often

encounter confused international students asking me why I don’t have the textbook that they

need. The vernacular differs as well. Peers may ask one another, “What are you reading?”

instead of “What are you studying?” Most faculty collaborates with librarians to assure that



books are available. Not all faculty members are equally cooperative, which poses a serious

challenge from a collection development perspective.

We met with a panel of librarians who spoke of the current and future state of the library,

their redevelopment endeavors, special collections, digitization, and marketing efforts.

University Librarian and Director of Library Services John MacColl began with a brief history of

the library. A copyright library from 1710 to 1836, St. Andrews was entitled to claim a copy of

every book published in the United Kingdom of Great Britain, resulting in a vast collection.

Though the North Street Main Library was built in 1976 to combat space issues, lack of room

continues to be a problem. “The special collections are in exile,” explained Mr. MacColl, housed

in offsite storage with staff working in trailers. A complete relocation of the special collections is

in the works, as is a library store and an additional reading room. Similar to many libraries in the

U.S., St. Andrews is contending with a modest budget (especially for such a prestigious

institution), and as MacColl candidly revealed, “Fundraising is a thankless job.”

We learned about the many duties of the academic liaison librarian team, a small division

who covers a multitude of subject areas, engages in fact finding, runs classes and workshops, and

conducts one-on-one reference interviews. Vicki Cormie and Hilda McNae, Senior Academic

Liaison Librarians, would be called “Subject Librarians” where I work. I was interested to find

out if first year students are taught information literacy and how to use the library through some

sort of introductory class. Hilda explained that although they do library inductions (searching the

catalog, getting a library card, etc.), most students arrive at St. Andrews sufficiently prepared to

use the library. This is a far cry from where I work; most freshmen are completely lost and often

don’t know how to locate information through our catalog. I’m inclined to believe that St.

Andrews students are better equipped because they have such stringent admission requirements



and bright, cream of the crop applicants. These academic liaison librarians’ hope is for more

consistent services across the board and more staff in the future. One key objective that Hilda,

Vicki, and I have in common is the need to emphasize to students that we are friendly and here to

help them with their information needs. It was nice to discover that providing excellent service to

patrons is such a priority for these librarians, too.

In 2012, the main library underwent a massive seven million pound renovation, with the

addition of a cafe, extra study rooms, and a fresh, new design. Library staff had to deal with a

brief complete closure and go in with hard hats to retrieve materials. Turns out that the

renovation was worth any inconveniences; footfall increased by 50 percent, with a daily average

of 6500 students visiting the library. These are very impressive statistics, considering a student

body of approximately 8000. The café, fought for by library staff, sells 600 cups of coffee daily.

Most importantly, after the remodel students’ attitudes of “the library is terrible” began to

change. Ewan McCubbin, Assistant Director, Liaison and User Services, explained that not only

was the building altered, staff also strove to be more welcoming and available to patrons. There

are still issues (space, not enough power points, students seat hogging), but the pros far outweigh

the cons. My library is undergoing a renovation this summer and I was able to gather some great

ideas to share with my supervisor upon my return to work.

St. Andrews Library currently has a bunch of exciting digital initiatives underway, with

online exhibitions dedicated to materials from special collections using the open source platform

Islandora and their QuickCat Project, a “quick and clean” form of truncated cataloging which

speeds up access to materials. Beth Andrew, Academic Liaison Officer, Marketing and

Communications, is responsible for getting the word out about these types of new projects. She’s

also tasked with maintaining a consistent and friendly identity for the library. One glance at a



pamphlet available in the library with a photo of smiling staff members captioned “We can

help!” clearly reinforces this message. Beth accomplishes her marketing activities through social

media (Twitter, Facebook), leaflets, posters, even toilet cubicle adverts. Spending the morning at

St. Andrews made me realize that the university library suffers from many of the same maladies

as my own workplace; insufficient funding, the need for more space and staff, and students “seat

hogging.” However, their successful renovation is heartening, as is their commitment to service.

I plan to check the library’s website periodically to keep up to date with all of their activities, the

new facilities for its special collections in particular.

Sign at Glasgow Women's Library

CILIP and Glasgow Women’s Library (Wednesday, May 29)

On Wednesday morning we paid a visit to the Scottish arm of CILIP, the Chartered

Institute of Library and Information Professionals, in Glasgow. With around 1500 members, the

organization is responsible for offering continual professional development and is influential in

setting library policy and strategy for a variety of libraries. Similar to ALA, members pay a fee

to cover staffing and office costs. Director Catherine Kearney and Sean McNamara, Policy and



Digital Officer, met with us for tea and candid conversation about the state of libraries in

Scotland. CILIPS recently split with SLIC, the Scottish Library and Information Council, and is

considering widening membership to include non-library job titles, a decision that has received

considerable backlash.

Catherine stated that while Scotland is “doing better than other parts of the U.K.” some of

the most pressing issues facing their libraries are shrinking budgets, lack of digital participation,

and ebooks. Decreasing financial support from the government has resulted in the diminishment

of programs that teach computer basics, ESL, and literacy. The trend is “further education”

programs (vocational education) that focus more on the immediacies of job training. Combined

with the fact that Scotland has a lower rate of digital participation compared with the rest of the

U.K., this trend is frightening. More people than ever need help navigating the web to obtain

welfare benefits and many do not have computers at home.

While Sean and Catherine mentioned that the government is supportive of libraries,

CILIPS does not receive any government funding. I can empathize with their frustration. Eugene

Public Library in my town is a hub for people needing the Internet, yet the local government may

have to close the main branch one day a week to make up for budget shortfalls. Scotland and the

U.S. have the same problem – how to make the public understand just how important libraries

are to the community. Another commonality between our two systems is the tricky, sticky world

of ebooks contracts. No real consortium exists for ebook buying and libraries are forced to

repurchase titles after a certain number of uses. Some contracts stipulate one person at a time use

and popular titles are extremely expensive. Sean also spoke of the dearth of vacancies for new

graduates of library and information science programs. The visit was pleasant and informative, if



somewhat disheartening. I hope that CILIPS is able to continue their goal of inclusivity and

accessibility despite funding problems.

After lunch, we made our way to Glasgow Women’s Library. Let’s get one thing straight

– I’m in love with Glasgow Women’s Library. Established in 1991, this “little library that could”

has survived four moves and is set to move again in a few months. A volunteer-run organization

with eighty volunteers, they didn’t have any paid staff until the early 2000s. In part due to the

National Lottery, they now have fourteen paid staff members, including Archivist Laura Stevens,

who delivered a lively presentation about the library. Glasgow Women’s Library is more than

just a place with books to lend; it’s a safe space for all women, a classroom that holds numeracy

and language classes, and an archive housing artifacts celebrating the lives, histories, and

achievements of women. As their well-constructed website proclaims, “Empowering women is

one of our key aims.”

Laura excitedly showed us the model of the new space where the library is moving, a

much larger building that can accommodate their collections, two-thirds of which are currently in

storage. The new space will feature museum display areas and a much bigger lending area and

space for classes. These classes allow women to learn reading, writing, basic math, and rebuild

abused women’s confidence in many cases. The entire lending library is donated and authors

often contribute their new books, so the collection is constantly growing. The library strikes me

as a hybrid of social work organization and information organization. I’m thrilled that Glasgow

Women’s Library has been given a much deserved new space. From a small grassroots project,

this organization has survived through uncertain economic times. I got the feeling that the staff

really cares about patrons, thus I believe that the library will continue to thrive.



Bookmobile at Stirling Headquarters

Stirling Council Libraries and Archives (Thursday, May 30)

This morning, a forty-five minute bus ride took us to a non-descript industrial park that

smelled of, shall we say, treatment plant. As our group searched for the front door of a squat

brick building, I was filled with dread. What was this place? It turns out that what Stirling

Library Headquarters lacks in aesthetics it more than makes up for in mission, values, and

service. The headquarters are a hub for sixteen public libraries that cover a wide geographical

and primarily rural area, along with two mobile libraries (bookmobiles). Many of the branches

are small, one person operations. The organization also engages in outreach initiatives to prisons,

homebound patrons, and anyone that cannot physically visit a library. Across the street from

headquarters in another unassuming building is the location of the Stirling Council Archives. We

began our visit by meeting with Liz Moffat, Community Outreach Librarian, and Pam McNicol,

Council Archivist, who filled us in on their award winning volunteer program.



Volunteer Development Scotland, a group dedicated to improving the quality of the

volunteering experience, created standards and a self-assessment checklist for Stirling, allowing

for the sharing of best practices, the formation of volunteer job descriptions, and an overall better

program. The assessment was not free, but Liz and Pam made it clear that the thousand or so

pounds fee was definitely a solid investment. Volunteers are involved in a variety of tasks such

as delivering books, processing and organizing materials, and working in the archives.

Opportunities exist for work experience internships within the archives for recent graduates or

students in their final year. I can understand why Stirling received the Investing in Volunteers

Award. I’ve volunteered in five different institutions, library and other, and have never had a

clear sense of what I was supposed to do. In fact, one small zoo in Florida handed me a list of

ingredients, gave me a wheelbarrow and set of cage keys, and told me to “feed all of the

animals.” This was on my first day of volunteering. By taking the time to create standards and

best practices, Stirling is getting the maximum benefit out of their volunteers’ time. What a great

concept! The volunteers seemed content as well, even willing to pay for their own gas whilst

delivering materials.

Our group split in half for a tour of the archives and headquarters. Pam shepherded us

across the street to the archives, where we learned about some of the holdings such as the

Scottish Poor Relief Records (1845-1938), which contain an amazing amount of genealogical

information and history of persons seeking aid. I asked Pam if finding aids are created by

volunteers, which is what I do as part of my volunteer duties at the University of Oregon. She

explained that the archives don’t have enough computers for volunteers to do so. This lack of

technology was starting to become a sort of theme of our visits thus far. Returning to

headquarters, we were introduced to the employees that provide materials to Scotland’s only



women’s prison and met others that drive the bookmobile and process new acquisitions. I was

taken by everyone’s attitude of service to all. The branches are funded from a central pot so that

no library in the system is better off than another one, unlike the library systems I’ve witnessed

in Oregon. Initially underwhelmed by the locale, I left feeling impressed with Stirling Council’s

well-oiled operation.

Display at McLean Museum and Art Gallery

Watt Library and McLean Museum and Art Gallery (Friday, May 31)

A trip to the Inverclyde Council brought us to the town of Greenock, location of the Watt

Library and McLean Museum. The Watt Library is the main place to find local history and

genealogical holdings, including census info, maps, photos, official Inverclyde Council records,

and rare materials. The McLean Museum and Art Gallery is home to many fine displays of art,

natural history, maritime and engineering memorabilia, and items from several different cultures.

In the summer of 2012, the Watt Library made national news with the discovery of a rare book



collection moldering away in a cupboard that hadn’t been opened in over twenty years. Among

the finds were books dating from the 1500s and 17th

and 18th

century volumes on surgery and

witchcraft, some of which are currently on display. We first met with Neil Dickson, discoverer of

the treasure and sole archivist for the library. Neil caught us up on his activities since the find

and the current state of the archives.

I’m enrolled in Preservation Strategies as part of my archives concentration and we’ve

been learning about proper environmental controls and appropriate storage areas. When Neil

took us back into the closed stacks area, I was shocked at the conditions. Piles of materials filled

the insufficient space, with its crumbling walls and ceilings. Neil is the first archivist the council

has ever had and he’s only part-time to boot. He has to contend with meager funds, collapsing

shelves, and dry rot. The small room has a large window that lets in too much light for an

archival storage area.

None of this is Neil’s fault. Even if he did have the money, the building is listed as a

historic site which puts certain limits on refurbishments. Luckily, the Heritage Lottery grant that

funds Neil’s salary has allowed him to purchase acid-free tissue and other preservation supplies.

He’s slowly working his way through weeding and processing (to a file level) the many

collections that have sat untouched for years. I had hoped that the Watt Library would be better

funded, considering their recent newsworthy discoveries. We were interviewed by the local

paper and I made sure to vociferously announce my displeasure that poor Neil is working alone

in this fantastic archives. I’d be pleased if our visit in any way helps the library secure more

funding.

Our next stop was the McLean Museum next door, where we met Curator George

Woods. I admit that I was so interested in the collections, especially natural history, that I took



scant notes during this part of our visit. It came as a big surprise that ninety-six percent of the

museum’s collections are not even on display. Curators rotate exhibits so that the public can

enjoy an assortment of collections; they even take requests for specific materials to be displayed.

George and our group discussed funding and marketing. I’m beginning to sound like a broken

record, but limited resources are an issue for this institution as well. Christy suggested hosting a

gala fundraiser for some of the affluent residents of the town, which I thought was a great idea.

Overall, the fact that the local councilor, a newspaper reporter, and photographer were on hand to

interview our group reveals that the community is interested in their library and museum. Who

knows what else Neil will find as he sets about organizing the vast array of collections?

Tea at Innerpeffray

The Library of Innerpeffray (Saturday, June 1)



Today was our last full day in Scotland and we ended with a bang. As the bus wound

through the beautiful countryside, I took pictures of every last sheep and cow I could find,

starting to realize that my journey was almost over. Prior to leaving the states, I was most

looking forward to visiting Innerpeffray and it did not disappoint. The Library of Innerpeffray is

Scotland’s oldest free, public lending library, founded by David Drummond around 1680. In his

will, Drummond stipulated that the library must keep going and that the “Keeper of the Books”

must augment the collection. He set up a mortification, or trust fund, in order to accomplish this.

Anyone visiting the library can hold and/or read any books they’d like. During our visit, we were

treated to a presentation given by Katie Halsey from the University of Stirling titled “Who Were

the Borrowers?” based on a research project, in collaboration with Innerpeffray.

Katie’s research seeks to answer some important questions about the roles of books in the

lives of borrowers by studying Borrowers’ Registers dating from 1747 to 1968. These registers

contain the names of borrowers, what books they chose, and occasionally their occupations and

addresses. One goal of the project is to transcribe the records, organize the data into a searchable

linked database, and analyze it using social analysis software. Although the research project is

not complete, Katie has already uncovered some interesting results. The borrowers were from

wide-ranging areas but were primarily local, humble folk, and predominantly male. Interestingly,

the themes of books selected do not correlate to borrowers’ occupations. The most popular

genres were history, religion, and “self-help,” or spiritual guidance, books. Like today, people

were interested in knowledge of the wider world. Borrowers traveled significant distances (82

km in one case) for the privilege of checking out a book. The project is a true testament to the

value that people placed on knowledge. Obviously, access is much easier in today’s world but

I’d like to think that information remains as crucial in people’s lives.



Towards the end of our visit we were given free time to explore the grounds and the

collections. Christy and I honed in on the book “The History of Foure-footed Beasts” (Edward

Topsell, 1607) and spent a delightful chunk of time reading and snapping pictures. We certainly

weren’t one of the first groups to visit Innerpeffray; it seems to have been a tourist attraction

early on, with visitors’ books dating from 1859. Library Manager and Keeper of the Books Lara

Haggerty has done an excellent job of keeping Innerpeffray’s mission intact and continues to

receive new additions to the collection. This year a collection of more than two hundred rare first

editions, valued at over 650,000 pounds, was gifted to the library by an American collector.

Innerpeffray is dependent upon the charity of trust funds and donations of books and money.

Their website offers a number of clever ways to contribute, such as “Befriend the Books” and

having your name entered in the “Book of Benefactors.” Under the tutelage of Lara and her like-

minded staff/volunteers, this little gem of a library will always find creative ways to survive.

Tonight the entire group gathered for a final meal at Café Rouge in Glasgow. Over tasty

French cuisine we shared the stories of our adventures and encounters with all of the library and

information professionals we met and what we learned during our time in Scotland. I’ve had a

wonderful time and have so much to share with my fellow classmates and coworkers upon my

return. I’m currently steeling myself for a 6 am flight tomorrow morning. I’m anticipating seeing

my husband and showing him my 600+ pictures. And this is from the girl who said she doesn’t

like to use a camera.

Post Trip Musings (Sunday, June 2 – Sunday June 30)

Real life has once again claimed me, replete with laundry, bills to pay, and no hot

breakfast buffet in sight. It took me a week or two to readjust my schedule and attitude to Oregon



time. Memory fades so quickly and I was glad to have my journal available to remind me of all

my experiences in Scotland. Just a few key ideas that really resonated:

We are fighting the same battles here in and Scotland, with similar goals and obstacles.

Every place we visited needed more resources – more money, more time, and more staff.

We’re using many of the same methods to achieve these objectives through fundraising,

promotion, and marketing. Not exactly the same methods, though, which means we still

have much to learn from each other. I told CILIPS how valuable webinars have been in

my professional training and encouraged their use. Conversely, I learned about

advertising in toilet cubicles from St. Andrews. Who knew? These are just a few

examples of the multitude of ideas gleaned through collaboration.

The U.S. takes for granted the ubiquity of technology in our libraries and information

organizations. We complain that our work computers are still using Windows 7, or that

we only have two scanners per floor in our library. Well, the situation is considerably

worse in Scotland. Dr. Smith explained that computers are much more expensive in

Scotland. They also have a lower rate of computer usage as compared with the rest of the

U.K. I witnessed some pretty archaic machines and operating systems during our visits. I

watched Information Services Librarian Colin Duncan at the Watt Library struggle

mightily with an older system and learned of Pam’s need for computers at the Stirling

Archives so that volunteers can assist with finding aids. If some of these institutions are

able to make those in charge of the coffers see just how important technology is to their

organization, a lot more would get accomplished. The Stirling Archives has people just

waiting to work for free, if they only had a computer to use.



I observed an outstanding commitment to service at each and every place we visited,

including the mentality of “library as a safe haven” for women at Glasgow Women’s

Library and the outreach efforts to prisoners and those disabled and homebound at

Stirling Council. St. Andrews University Library’s friendly “We Can Help” campaign,

the McLean Museum’s “our collections belong to the people” – countless examples of

not just doing more with less, but caring about each and every patron. As a new

professional, it was incredibly encouraging to meet others that share my mentality

towards library service.

Taking this trip was not only a blast, but also a smart investment in my education. I

learned things that I never could have just sitting in a classroom. I bonded with my

classmates, ate new food, learned new slang (that’s crackin’!) and got an inside look into

how libraries operate in another country. This global perspective should serve me well in my

future career. From this experience, I’ve grown both as a person and as a librarian.

Sheep at Innerpeffray

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